Roof leak at front cap on 2016 3101ss

[Sagecoachdriver]

Ben, it's good that you caught it now and I'm sure the dealer will get it sealed properly. Check those clearance lights.

[skylilymd]

Is that dicor that is cracked ? Also looks like eternabond on there as well ?

[skylilymd]

Also about those clearance light lenses I had the same problem when I first bought my motorhome one of them popped out on the drive home they were made by a company called glo-brite and are no longer made - if you call Forest River they can no longer get them but Winnebago use the same ones and you can order from them or there's a guy who sells them by the name of Blake I still have his phone number somewhere if anybody needs it. If you have the old-style clearance lights meaning non-LED like I do then take them all off and put dicor beneath them to seal the hole that the wiring harness is go through because they leak almost as bad as the roof. They leak water in the lens when driving and then it goes into the cap if there was not enough sealant from the factory. I'm not sure if the LED style ones have the same issue but if I had to guess they probably will it wouldn't hurt to dicor beneath them if you can't see the sealant from the factory - fwiw two of my lights looked like they didn't have any sealant at all but I did all five just to be safe

[Tireman9]

Having been involved in new vehicle development for a majority of my working life, I can offer that there are methods that can be used to
1. Ensure that you have a robust design (one that can tolerate normal variations in manufacturing and usage)
2. Do prototype product testing and evaluation to ensure that new design features or new manufacturing process actually improve the overall quality and durability of a product.

I have only owned four RVs from three different manufacturers but based on my experience with poor RV quality design and manufacturing...

IMO external caulking may help stop or slow the leak but can anyone name a car company that suggested you use duck tape to fix a windshield leak on a new vehicle? Even if Eternabond is the best "Fix" why should owners have to pay for the materials or even do the labor?

IMO the concept of real Engineering testing and evaluation is simply not in the vocabulary of the RV industry.
Using my area of knowledge, tires, it is very clear that RV companies are not run by experienced vehicle design or manufacturing people and simply moving RVs out of the shop does not qualify. Tire selection is a technical process just as vehicle design SHOULD BE. In the RV industry tire selection is based on lowest cost product that barely meets the minimum regulatory requirements so I see no reason to expect anything better from those responsible for a water tight vehicle.

Luckily for me I have the tools and equipment to fix the screw-ups done by the RV company and I build cars as a hobby so doing the work that should have been done at the assembly shop is not as big of a deal as it probably is for others.

[skylilymd]

I completely agree with you believe me - nothing is more frustrating than having to spend time and money to fix something you are already paying for because it is supposed to be a quality vehicle. I am a mechanic and I see cars all the time that are just out of warranty and the owners have to pay for a transmission or head gaskets or even engines - or they are in warranty and the dealer refuses to pay because they did not maintain it correctly. I think at the end of the day it is what it is - I am personally a little disappointed in forest river but I can't say that I am too surprised I watched how they build these things and I have owned motorhomes before. I agree 100% you should not have to use eterna bond and dicor on a brand-new roof to stop it from leaking - but no one except you is going to look out for your motorhome once you own it so hopefully this thread can prevent others from having roof damage. I think this is a support group for us who own these to look out for each other lol

[Sagecoachdriver]

I guess the small button Led clearance lights are the replacement for the oval's that were discontinued and the company no longer in business. But the new ones are also difficult to find, except for the site I posted and I'm not sure they are the same.
How feasible would it be to remove the buttons clearance lights and replace with the older round ones used for decades?

[Dago Dan]

I have been battling a leak since last october when I bought my 2401 W brand new. My saga is outlined in another thread.

I noticed the 2017 model of my RV has a completely different cap on it. I suspect that Forest River knows there is a design flaw with the cap in their previous models. I've taken mine in to a factory authorized dealer twice and they couldn't find the leak. They put Dicor all over the cap joint and along the sides. Still leaked. I supplemented it with Eternabond tape to no avail. I then took it in to a reputable RV repair place in town. They did a pressure test and couldn't find anything. They removed the cabover windows and re sealed them as a precaution. After the last rain we had 2 weeks ago, bingo, still leaking water into the cab through the visor.

Unfortunately I bought it from a dealer out of state about 600 miles from where I live and can't get enough time off work to get it down there. I talked to Russ with FR warranty and got the old "take it in and get it repaired and send us the invoice" line. That would be great if somebody could actually find the freakin' leak!

I'm stumped where it could be coming from as are both places I've taken it. There are two other threads with at least a dozen people who have had the same problem. I talked with one person who ended up getting an attorney involved and got a new rig. I'm a nice guy and always give people the benefit of the doubt and I certainly don't want to be unreasonable, but when there is an obvious manufacturing defect I would expect a reputable company to at least 'fess up and give some guidance and support on such an expensive financial commitment. I've looked into trading it in but the financial loss I would have to take is just not possible right now.

I've gotten more support and ideas from all the good people on this forum than I have from Forest River. My work commitments are significant and I am extremely limited on time to deal with an ongoing problem like this.

[Sagecoachdriver]

I found another source for the button clearance lights with a side view. Looks like it just pushes in and no gasket or seal shown.https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...onnector/1982/ No chrome bezel either.

[KAS]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

I better check mine tomorrow.
If I see an issue, I have an appointment at the dealer mid June. May have them do a proper fix.
Could the cracks be from stress with the frame flexing or sleeping in the cabover?

That's what the dealer told me when I had to have mine fixed. The dealer told me that this is a common problem in Class C motorhomes because of the flexing of the overhang, crappy design!


I park on a slope, nose down, and I noticed a rust spot on the windshield, where the front cap had been dripping. When I drove out onto level ground, water started pouring out of the sides above the cab. Of course my warranty had expired by then. After having the leak fixed (re-caulking the connecting seam and corners), I checked the upper bunk and noticed that the water had been standing 6+ inches high in the front of the cab bunk due to the slope. I had a lot of stuff stored in there and never noticed, and I never checked because I didn't realize there was a leak until I drove off. I had to take everything out, let it dry, use cleaner and bleach to kill the mold etc., what a royal PITA! TG I wasn't on a camping trip when I discovered the mess.


If I want (the dealer - can't do it myself) to put Eternabond tape on the seam, do they need to remove all the caulk first? I want to have this fixed properly once and for all, because not only is this a constant worry, but also quite an expensive repair.

[KatanaPilot]

I know little to nothing about the front cap to roof junction and the poorly designed/poorly installed sealant. It appears that there are several posts about water intrusion and water damage. Fortunately, I have not yet had this issue on my Forester MBS.

I do know that in home building, relying on sealant alone to keep out water is a recipe for leaks. So I can imagine, that in a moving, flexing home on wheels, sealants are not the best method.

We seem to be focusing on caulks and sealants to keep the water out. My question is this - since it seems likely that these methods are subject to failure, should we not also be looking at methods that let the water out? While that would not cure the failure, it might mitigate the damage caused when water inevitably does get in - and provide a visual indication that a failure had occurred.

[KAS]

Originally Posted by KatanaPilot

I know little to nothing about the front cap to roof junction and the poorly designed/poorly installed sealant. It appears that there are several posts about water intrusion and water damage. Fortunately, I have not yet had this issue on my Forester MBS.

I do know that in home building, relying on sealant alone to keep out water is a recipe for leaks. So I can imagine, that in a moving, flexing home on wheels, sealants are not the best method.

We seem to be focusing on caulks and sealants to keep the water out. My question is this - since it seems likely that these methods are subject to failure, should we not also be looking at methods that let the water out? While that would not cure the failure, it might mitigate the damage caused when water inevitably does get in - and provide a visual indication that a failure had occurred.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Since I noticed my leak because of occasional dripping (from the lowest point of the cap) onto my windshield while parked downhill, I was thinking of drilling a small hole on the underside of the cap to facilitate draining and alerting me to a new leak. The only problem with that may be that rainwater can get in while driving. Maybe I could attach a small flap over it that's open to the rear.

[Sagecoachdriver]

I called the website I posted earlier. The Led itself sits in a rubber grommet and the chrome ring is put on before installing and the Led itself holds it in. It's a very tight fit. So all I had to do was push the Led back into the rubber grommet for a very tight fit. I'm not caulking at this time. So Good News!

[dukeboone]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

I called the website I posted earlier. The Led itself sits in a rubber grommet and the chrome ring is put on before installing and the Led itself holds it in. It's a very tight fit. So all I had to do was push the Led back into the rubber grommet for a very tight fit. I'm not caulking at this time. So Good News!

That is good news and helpful information. Thank you!

[skylilymd]

Katana pilot - that's a good idea, I was thinking of putting some kind of closable cap maybe 1 inch in diameter on both bottom corners of the cap for inspection/drainage. I saw a guy do that in a fifth wheel with a see through 6 inch sight glass window lol - but seriously though it would alert you to the fact that there was a leak and mitigate a large amount of water damage if it got in.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by skylilymd

Katana pilot - that's a good idea, I was thinking of putting some kind of closable cap maybe 1 inch in diameter on both bottom corners of the cap for inspection/drainage. I saw a guy do that in a fifth wheel with a see through 6 inch sight glass window lol - but seriously though it would alert you to the fact that there was a leak and mitigate a large amount of water damage if it got in.

Weep holes?

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

Weep holes?

Something possibly more sophisticated, but maybe not. Simple is usually best.

Again, I have not had this failure yet on my MBS, but conceptually they are similar with a front cap and a junction at the roof that is sealed with Dicor or something similar. I've read the posts recommending Eternabond "as soon as you get your new RV home" and while I disagree that the owner should be put in the position of "fixing" their new RV's - given the lack of a proper response from FR, it might be prudent to do prior to having a front cap full of water.

It just seems like there are numerous penetrations through the roof, the front cap and the sidewalls - so water will eventually get in. Makes sense not to trap it there.

[WayneLee]

Add me to the list! I custom ordered my Sunseeker and it was delayed by the Ford transmission problem. I finally received it in October, 2015.

I thought I got a "perfect" coach for the first time ever, and I've been RV'ing for 35+ years. I actually had NOTHING wrong with it, so I thought.

That was, until the first rain storm, which was a full fledged El Nino downpour when my coach was at the dealer getting a satellite dish installed. When I drove it out of the dealers, I was deluged with about 2 gallons of water.

To make a long story short, it took two trips to the dealer, 3 months of waiting, to get it fixed. The leak was between the front cap and the cab roof of the E450. The entertainment unit in the overhead, was completely ruined and warped requiring new furniture from the factory.

Now, no more leaks, but I will need to check the seam that everyone is talking about, and see if that needs preventative maintenance.

[Creativepart]

It's been a very rainy year since buying my 3051S and the only time I had water inside was when the old style oval clearance light lens popped off and I drove through a short rain storm. The rest of the time, even in massive South Texas 16" rain storms, the RV has been dry.

Is everyone positive that their leaks are not clearing light related?

[Creativepart]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

Did you find an amber to replace the red one you found?

Nope. They don't exist. I'm using the two red lenses and having no problems.

[Creativepart]

Originally Posted by skylilymd

Also about those clearance light lenses I had the same problem when I first bought my motorhome one of them popped out on the drive home they were made by a company called glo-brite and are no longer made - if you call Forest River they can no longer get them but Winnebago use the same ones and you can order from them...

They appear to be totally out of stock for good now. Winnebago shows them as unavailable. Same with all online parts dealers I found. I did find two of them in Red and have used them on my RV in place of missing amber lenses.